Belt adjuster



B. E. SCHWENK BELT ADJUSTER April 16, 1957 Filed Feb. 1, 1954 INVENTOR. BERNARD E. SCHWENK ATTO RNEY United States Patent 7 BELT ADJUSTER Bernard E. Schwenk, Shickley, Nebr. Application February 1, 1954, Serial No. 401,426

1 Claim. or. 198-208) This invention relates to take-up devices used in combination with transmission belts of farm implements and equipment, and in particular hydraulic jack actuated hearing blocks slidably mounted in rails on the sides of an inclined conveyor or elevator and adapted to maintain an endless belt trained over a pulley on a tail shaft rotatably mounted in the bearing blocks taut, the endless belt, pulley, and tail shaft providing the operating parts of the lower end of the elevator.

The purpose of this invention is to provide positive means for maintaining an endless belt of a conveyor or elevator taut while the device is in operation and in which means is provided for releasing the pressure and thereby relieving the tension on the belt when the elevator or conveyor is not in use.

Elevator and conveyor belts and particularly belts used in barns where they are substantially outside, are subjected to extreme atmospheric and temperature changes which cause expansion and contraction, and as they are operated in both wet and dry weather it is difiicult to maintain constant tension in the belts. Operating a belt at extreme tension causes damage to the structure of the belt and operating a slack belt results in slippage which makes constant speed substantially impossible.

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a take-up device for elevator and conveyor belts whereby substantially constant tension may be retained in the belts.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an improved take-up device particularly adapted for use in maintaining constant tension in elevator and conveyor belts in which the device is adapted to be actuated by a conventional pressure element, such as a grease gun.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pressure actuated take-up device that is adapted to be operated to relieve tension in an elevator belt or the like when the belt is not in use.

Another important object of the invention is to provide pressure actuated tensioning means for elevator and conveyor belts in order to reduce slippage so that the belts may be operated at constant speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide pressure actuated take-up devices for elevator and conveyor belts in which the devices are adapted to be installed on elevators and conveyors now in use without materially changing parts thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a pressure actuated take-up device for belts of elevators and conveyors in which the device is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a pair of cylinders having pistons therein with piston rods extended from the cylinders and connected to the ends of a Shaft extended through an end of an elevator or conveyor and with grease guns connected to the cylinders for supplying pressure to actuate the pistons.

Other features and advantages of the invention will ice appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the lower end of an elevator or inclined conveyor with one end of the tailshaft of the device rotatably mounted in a hearing block slidably mounted in rails, and with the end of the shaft connected to a piston rod of a. cylinder on the side of the elevator or conveyor and to which a grease gun is connected.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the cylinder of the pressure actuated take-up device, the piston, piston rod, and eye on the end of the piston rod being shown in elevation and the parts being shown on an en-- .ing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And While there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout and in which the numeral 8 refers to the invention in its entirety, numeral 10 indicating a cylinder having a piston 12 therein, numeral 14 a piston rod extended from the piston and cylinder and having an eye 16 on the extended end, and numeral 18 a grease fitting threaded into an opening 20 in one side of the cylinder. A bushing 21 is threaded into the opposite end of the cylinder to provide a guide for the piston rod, and the cylinder may be provided with a vent 23.

With the parts as illustrated in Figure l, a clip angle 22 secured to the closed end or head 24 of the cylinder, preferably by welding, is attached by a bolt 26 in an opening 28 of the extended leg 30 thereof, to a strut 32 on the side of the elevator, which is indicated by the numeral 34, and the eye 16 on the end of the piston rod is positioned over the end of the shaft 36 of the elevator. The shaft 36 is rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 38 that are slidably mounted in parallel rails 40 and 42 on the side of the elevator housing.

The lower end or boot of the elevator is also provided with a strut 44 similar to the strut 32 and the upper ends of the struts are connected with a member 46. The lower side of the elevator is also provided with a member 48 providing a support therefor. As indicated by the broken lines 50 in Figure 1, the endless belt, to which the numeral 50 refers, is trained over a pulley 52 on the shaft 36.

It will be understood that the above-referred-to parts are duplicated on the opposite side of the elevator.

The eye 16, which is threaded on the threaded end 54 of the piston rod 14 is secured in adjusted positions with a lock nut 56. The piston 12 is provided with a stud 58 on which a cupshaped washer 60, of leather or the like, is positioned, and the washer 60 is secured in position on the stem with a washer 62 and a head 64, the head 64 being formed by peening over the end of the stud, as shown in Figure 2.

The fitting 18 is provided with a ball-shaped element 66 on the upper end and the element 66 is provided with an opening 68, as shown in. Figure 3, which-opens into a bore or cavity 70 in which a ball 72 and a conicalshaped spring 74 are positioned; The lower end of" the fitting is provided with an annular flange 76 that provides a seat for the lower end of the spring, and the flange is'provided with an opening 78. With the parts assembled in this manner. the ball is resiliently held against the inner end of the openings 68 providinga closure for the opening, and when grease or the like is supplied under pressure to the fitting-the ball is moved downwardly to provide an opening through the fitting. The ball 72 is also adaptedto be moved downwardly by a match stem or the like when it is desired to relieve pressure invthe cylinder 10.

It will be, understood that: grease or a suitable fluid may be supplied .to the cylinder 'by any suitable means, however, in the design shown, a flexible conduit or hose 80 extendedfrom a grease gun 82 is positioned over the element 66 of the fitting 18 and a piston in the gun 82 may be actuated byv a handle 84 on a threaded stem 86 to force grease or the like into the cylinder 10 to actuate thepiston 12, the eye 16 and shaft 36 to increase tension in the belt of the elevator.

By this means it is possible to maintain substantially constant tension in the belt of the elevator or conveyor, aswhen the belt stretches, due to atmospheric conditions, more grease is forced into the cylinder 10, and when the belt contracts the pressure is relieved.

As illustrated in Figure 2, upon the application of grease or other fluid to the cylinder 10 the piston and piston. rod will travel in the direction of the arrow 88, and upon the release of the pressure the parts will travel inthe opposite direction.

From the foregoing specification it will become apparent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has beendesigned and in an economical manner, and that its simplicity, accuracy, and ease of operation are such as to provide a-relatively inexpensive device considering what it will accomplish and that it will find auimportant place inthe art v towhichit appertainswhen= once placed on the -market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to'obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details and parts, such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be newand' desired tobe procured by Letters Patent. is: t

In an endless belt tensioning device, the combination which comprises a.conveyonframquspaced parallel rails mounted on opposite sides of the frame, bearing blocks slidably mounted in the rails, a shaft extended transversely through the frame and rotatably mounted in said bearing blocks, fluid pressure cylinders having open ends and also closed ends, means mounting the closed ends. of the cylinders on the conveyor frame, pistons having, cup washers thereon slidably mounted in the cylinders,,piston rods extended from the pistons through the open ends of'the cylinders, eyes threaded on ends of thepistorLrods and positioned on ends ofIthe' shaft, locknutsthreaded on the piston rods for securing the eyes in adjusted posif tions, inlet fittings in the closed ends of the cylinders, springactuated balls in said fittings positionedtoiprevent the return of fluid. throughv the fittings, pressure supply cylinders, mounted onv the fittings, ands-threaded piston stems threaded in ends of the-pressuresupply cylinders for adjusting positions of pistons thereto.

References Cited in the file of' this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS;

2,213,992 MOI'Se Sept; 10, 1940 2,336,884 Ottoson Dec; 14, 1 943 2,600,273 S6if1ied June), 1952 

